Whether working or a full time homemaker, deciding on a cooking menu every day for all times of the day is always a task. It’s a bigger task when you are very conscious about the nutrients and a balanced diet. Some simple edits to your routine will surely make it much simpler and fun.

1. Plan your weekly menu: Whether you plan or do not plan invariably items in our menus are repeated every week. But, if we do plan properly with respect to all the meals for the day, a proper distribution of nutrients throughout the day is possible. Like high energy and protein items can be added in breakfast to kick start the day, light salads and some basic carbs in lunch to keep you going in office without making you feel drowsy, and at the end of the day keeping the dinner such that you digest it without much physical activities.

2. Prepare in advance: As per plan, prepare for the next meal as well as next day meals. For instance if you need to soak beans/pulses etc. soak it overnight. Also cut/peel some vegetables and keep them ready in advance as per plan.

3. Shop & Store: As you plan your meals, you will need certain items to be bought from the shop and some would be readily available in stock in your kitchen. Perishable items like dairy, poultry, fruits and fresh veggies needs to be shopped and stocked as per your plan at regular intervals. Non perishables can be stocked for monthly requirements based on your consumption.

4. Plan of Action: Now as you have outlined what to do and how to do, you need to document it to keep everything in line. Yes, a weekly menu plan on a piece of paper will bring in the clarity for next week. This will make sure you don’t repeat items very often and plan beforehand for the next day and especially for step 2 and 3 above.

Also you can spare Sunday for preparation of dry snacks, chutney, dips etc. to be used in next week.